Chemical fire-extinguisher.



E. M. E. HANSEN.

CHEMICAL FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

APPLICATION IflLED AUG.25, 191a. RENEWED SEPT.30. 1915.

Patented- Dec. 28, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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, E. M. E. HANSEN.

CHEMICAL FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-25, 191s. RENEWED SEPT-30. 1915 L T E E H 4 s T E E H s 2 5w 1 9 1 00 2 Q 6 D d e t D w a P awuemto'a awn/sew,

-' ing wheel 7 at 957,054 and issued May tained with the device is an end elevation Fig. l.

EDWARD M. E. HANSEN, O F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

Application filed August 25, 1913, Serial No. 786,545.

To all whom, it mag concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD HAn-' SEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis city in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and. useful Improvements in- Chemical Fire-Extinguishers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tormake and use the same.

This invention relates to fire eXtinguishand more especlally to those involving ers the mixture of chemicals by means of which water is impregnated with aifire-s'ubduing gas; and the present invention is an improvement on my former patent numbered 3,1910. The object of this invention'is to efiect various improvements in the construction and hence in the results and this object is secured by changes in and elaborations of the former structure, as will be explained in the following'sp'ecification and claims, and as shown in the drawings wherein- V V Figure 1 is a side elevation of this apparatus complete, the main tank being broken away to show parts on the interior Fig. 2

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4; is a sectional detail of the cap for the filling opening inithe acid reservoir. v

I In the drawings the numeral 1 designates the main tank and 2 the charging cylinder disposed in an upright position through the top of said tankas shown and ter-inlet port 3 through its'side above said tank 1. The cylinder is closedat'its upper end by a cover 4 in whichat 5;is swiveled the lower end of a screw 6 having a turnits upper end provided with handles 8. The screw passes througha threaded aperture .at the mid-length of a supporting bar 9 which is pivoted at one end at 10 on an upright post 11 risingfrom the cylinder 2, and is notched at 12 near its other end so that it may engage a screw risspecification of Letters Patent;

capable of being atheretofore patented,

of the apparatus, and

having a wanular casting 35 form of connection adopted if desired. perforated plate 16 I find it advisable to locate an upright baflie the screw may be retracted by CHEMICAL FIRE-EXTINGUISI-IER.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915. Renewed September 30, 1915. Serial No. 53,425.

natc of soda in a well known manner. The supporting bar 9,

pivoted at one end and removably clamped at the other, is for swinging the cover aside when it is desired to gain direct access to the interior of the cylinder. The water inlet pipe is shown at 18, its nner end communicating with the main tank at the point 17 and in said pipe is an elbow 22 from which leads a by-pass pipe 21 that extends upward and communicates with the water inlet port 3 in the side of the cylinder 2-a cut off valve 23 being disposed within said by-pass to regulate the flow of water into the soda cylinder. The inner end 17 of the inlet pipe enters the main tank below a perforated plate 16 disposed across the same at a slight distance above its bottom as in myformer patent; and the outlet pipe 19 has a perforated hood or strainer 20 important details; and no claim is laid on the features bearing reference numerals smaller than 30.

Coming now more particularly to the detailsnot found in my former patent, I preferably makethe charging cylinder in two members as seen in Fig. 3, connected at their meeting ends as by threads 31 and by a flange 32 on one member through which pass screws 33 into an annular casting 3-1 mounted on the main tank 1, permitting ready separation of parts, and giving access to theinterior of the main tank when de sired. Also I preferably provide said main tank with a man-hole, consisting of an anas seen in Fig. 1 closed by a cap 36 screwed into place or otherwise held within the casting, and by preference I mount a pressure gage 37 on this cap. If the man-hole be of sufficient size the specific between the two members of the soda cylinder need not beemployed, although both details might be At the rear end of the 37 extendingacross the interior of the tank 1 whereby the inrush of water through the pipe 17 will not wash the soda too rapidly out the outlet the disposition of this batfie tending rather and cities,

cylinder 2 and to create eddies in the water as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1. I use a check valve 27 at the lower or outlet end of the cylinder, as in my prior patent, but limited to the specific form of this valve.

In the present case I have shown it as hav- 7 ing a pivotal support and as being weighted so that'it will drop automatically onto an oblique or inclined seat. In the water pipe 18 I dispose a check valve 38 of anysuitable type, and between the elbow 22 and the inner end 17 of said water pipe I dispose a water regulating valve 39 of any suitable "type; Another regulating valve 30 may be placed in the outlet pipe 19. It is hardly necessary to say that if this device is built on a small scale as for towns and villages, it may be mounted on a wagon to be drawn by horses or on a truck to be drawn by the volunteer fire department; whereas if it'is built on a large scale as for larger towns it may be mounted on a truck of its own or carried on the ordinary fire engine, whether the latter be drawn by horses or driven by motor. In any case, however, it is intended that a pump shall be connected to the inlet 18 so'that water admitted thereto will be under a certain degree of pressure as will appear below. The exact proportions, materials, and construction of parts may therefore be left to the manufacturer.

. between the two chemicals and the water in to recharge the latter said tank is charged with carbonic acid gas. For this purpose the present apparatus carries an acid reservoir 40 which I propose to make large enough to contain acid sufficient for from twelveto twentv charges of soda as will appearbelow, and this reservoir has a filling opening 41 at its top'closed by a screw cap 42 which in turn is pierced with a threaded opening in'which is seated a screw plug 43 having through it near its upper end a cross port 44 intersected by an axial port 45 which leads from the cross port 44 down to and opens through the lower end of said plug. The upper end of the latter is by preference squared as shown at 46 so. that a key or wrench may be applied thereto. I may say here that this detail isv useful for relieving the pressure within the reservoir 40 when it is desired without discontinuing the stream. 'By applying a key to the squared upper end 46 and unscrewing the plug 43 until its cross port 44 is exposed, the

do not wish to be" I able type.

H of the cylinder 2 at bicarbonate of soda in the I do not wish pressure within the reservoir blows out; and thereafter a wrench or spanner may be applied to'the cap 42 and the latter unscrewed from the opening 41 so that the contents of the reservoir may be replenished. As it is desirable that the acid'be kept separate from thesoda and in a reservoir of its own so contaminated and cannot spill onto the operator, I prefer to make this reservoir of ample sue to conta n tenor twenty tlmes The charges of the the proportion of soda.

2 may have to be latter within the cylinder that itcannot become replenished with comparative frequency if? the fire is burning so that a constant demand is made on. this apparatus, but these details will appear below.

An outlet pipe 50Ileads from the reservoir 40 and into the tank 1' near its bottom at.

the point 51, and in this pipe is a graduated valve 52by means of which the flow of the acid may be regulated as necessary. 'While this valve may be of any desired construction, I prefer to provide its with a plurality of notches 5.4 in its edge, and its casing with a finger 55 whose, tip springs into said notches so as to hold the 1 with the top of the reservoir 40, and in this pipe is a cut-off valve 57 of any suit- Another feature of improvement which the present apparatus possesses over my former patent, consists in a pipe 60 connecting the top of the tank 1 with one side the point 61, and in this pipe isjdisposed a valve 62*which is preferably to belimited thereto. ever, Iprovide a handlever63 pivotally connected at one end with the pipe'or the time wheel 53::-

of the 'Kennedy type although HOW valve after it has been set. Anequalizing ipe 56 connects the top ofthe maintank casing of this valve and weighted at=the other end as at 64, and when this end is' raised by hand fora purpose. to" appear below, the'weight will close the valve as soon as the hand is removed therefore it is impossible for that any suitable type of valve which would act on this principle might be substituted for the form of valve shownin Fig. 1.

he operator to accidentally leave this valve open. It will be obvious Another improvement .in the present ap-" paratus consists 1n providing the charging cylinder2 with a cage or basket'for sup.- porting the soda crystals; Withinits lower section I provide a series of stops 70 upon which rests the ably comprising aperforated disk 71 having an upstanding central tube 7 2 piercedwith perforations 73 which are larger near the basket -the latter preferdisk and grow smallertoward the upper end of the tube, and the'upper extremity of the latter 7 the tube is centered ithin the cylinder 2 carries a spider 74 by which within the tank 1; the water meanwhileris' ram I perfe tion tr ads; as sh eafin Fig. 3. t aboutthe' nidlengm of thisitube 'it' i s provided anex ternali marl: inth'e shape of a pin '75 for a purpose'toappear below. c l i a. a.

With the parts constructed as" described above, the actionijofthis device is as follows:

Starting with the main tank and reservoir empty and'all valves closed, the'i'cover 4'is loosened and turnedas'ide and a' charge of soda crystals placed in-"thecylinder which is suflicient fora tank of'perhaps one hundred and fifty gallons'capacity, "after which the cover is closed and locked in place. The screw cap 42 isthen removed and the reservoir 4O supplied with a cid sufiicient to 00- act with from ten-totwenty such charges of soda, according to the proportionate size of the reservoir, and the cap replaced and its plug screwed 'do wn to close theveiits therein. The valve'23 is then opened and water pumped in at the point 18. Thevalve 39 being closed, the'water flows up the bypass pipe 21 and enters the cylinder 2 through the port 3 which is above the charge of soda therein, and such chargeis dissolved and washed down through and out of the basket or disk 71, threugh the check valve 27 at the lower end of the cylinder 2, and onto the perforated plate 16 inder 2, excepting that it is not washed out of the same at this time because the cut off valve 23 isclosed. During the process as far as has been described I would keep the equalizing pipe 56 closed by means of the valve 57 because there is an affinity between the acid and the soda and it is not yet desirable that they come in contact with each other directly or indirectly.

WVhen now a fire occurs or any occasion arlses calllng fora stream of water impregnated with the fire-destroying gas, the cut off valve 57 is opened and the pressure of the air trapped at the top of the tank 1 (which is the same as the water pressure) passes through the pipe 56 into the space above the acid within the reservoir 40. The graduated valve 52 is then opened wide, and the acid, superinduced by thepressure just mentioned, flows freely through the outlet pipe 50 and into the water in the tank 1 beneath the perforated plate 16. This water the valve 38.

theconflagration be a small one,

new aptratd with soda, reaction between the tee chemicals'takes place rapidly,ebulliti'o'n occurs, pressure is set up within the tankl as indicated on the gage 37, and

soon this pressure overcomes the water pres- '1 sure at the inlet 18 but is held in check by I Whatever the pressure, it fi'owsthrough the equalizing pipe 56 and is equalized above and below the acid, so that the latter continues to fiow by gravity to ,th'ebottom, of the tank 1. But as soon as the gage indicates perhaps a hundred and sixty pounds of pressure, I close the graduated valve 52 until the proper notch 54 engages the finger 55, and thereby regulates or graduates the supply of acid to theinterior of the tank. This valve may be left so set unless at any time during the operation of the apparatus the gage 37 shows excessive pressure requiring that the valve be closed still further. The supply of acid is gerous one as forinstance a dwelling or a store, more acidwould be admitted; and if it be oil, tar, paint, turpentine, gasolene, o1 other highly inflammable substances that are burning, I would open the valve 52 still widerso that the water will be charged with a yet larger proportion of acid, in a manner well known to those skilled in this art.

' However, it may be left to the operator to control this valve as circumstances require, and the proportion of parts and the extraneous conditions such as the weather call for, and the purity and strength of the chemicals make necessary. The outlet valve 30 is now opened, and the chemically treated water issues from the tank under thepressure within the latter and is played through the nozzle on the fire.

To replenish the charge of soda the cover 4 is swung aside and a new charge dropped into the cylinder in the manner above described, after which the cover is closed and fastened and the valve 62 opened by raising its handle lever 63. This permits some of the trapped air under pressure to pass upward through the pipe 60 into the cylinder 2 above the new charge of soda crystals, and the latter are driven down into the basket or onto the disk 71 and the finer particles below it. This valve is then closed and the valve 23 opened, when some of the water passes in at the inlet 3 and thecharge is washed downward out of the cylinder 2 in the manner above described. Meanwhile if necessary the graduated valve 52 may be opened a. little wider than usual to permit an increased supply of acid at this time, although as above suggested the setting of this valve will depend upon the reading of thegage 37. The use of the weight 64: on the handle lever 63 will now be obvious. It is intended to hold the valve 62 constantly closed when released, so that the pressure generated in the tank 1 by the mingling of the two chemicals cannot escape into the upper end of the charging cylinder 2. In case the valve 28 should accidentally be left open so that this cylinder fills with water, no injury to the workman will result if heopens the cover 4: at this time, but it would be dangerous to have the valve62c valves opening into it are closed before the cap 42 can be removed. The screw plug is withdrawn slightly at this time to expose its ports and relieve the pressure in the top of the reservoir 40, after which the cap 42 can be removed and the acid poured in in a manner which will be clear.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a chemical fire extinguisher, a maintank, an upright charging cylinder having internal stops, its lower end being connected wlth the main tank, means for admitting Copies of this patent may be obtained for sufficient" capacity to contain acid Water to said cylinder, and a removable closure for its upper end;fcombi ned witha perforated disk across the interior of said cylinder resting on said stops, my upright tube rising from said disk andprovided with perforations which are smaller near theupp'er end and grow largertoward the lower end of said tube, a spider on the tube for centering the latter within'the cylinder,

and a' pin projecting radially from said tube, for the purpose set forth.

2. In achemical fire extinguisher, a main tank, an. upright charging cylinder having internal stops near'its lower end, said end being connected with the main tank, means for admitting water to the upper end of sa d cylinder, and a removable closure on sald end; combined witha perforated disk across the interior of said cylinder resting on said stops,f.an upright tube rising from said disk and provided with perforations which are smaller near the upper end and grow largertoward the lower end of said tube, and means for centering the latter within the upper portion of the cylinder,

for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence oftwo subscribing wit- EDWARD M. E. HANSEN:

nesses.

Witnesses r JAMEsE. DAME, EARL G. BROEG.

Washington, I). C.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 2 

